Bansko Local Customs

In the centre of Bansko expect to pay about 2 leva for a "cafe normal" and expect to be surrounded by other yabbering tourists showing each other their photos on their digi cameras.

However if you just fancy a quiet, cheap, coffee then get across the Tsar Simeon bridge and look out for this little place on ul Vasilak, looking over the river (via a bit of wasteground). This is a proper little locals cafe, with no food except for things like nuts or biscuits in packets, where an excellent espresso is only 60 stotinki (cream an extra 20c). This is where the locals hang out furiously chain-smoking and slowly sipping their beverage of choice. Nothing fancy with its formica tables and plastic chairs but a friendly little place and, if I remember correctly, the cheapest beer in town too with a large Zagorka at 1.40.

As it is written in Wikipedia: ¡§Banitsa a traditional Bulgarian pastry prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs and pieces of cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven.¡¨But this one is a specialty from Bansko region and it¡¦s not filled with cheese but with locum (it is a Turkish delight) so it¡¦s sweet and very deliciousƒº))

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When returning from a 55km hiking trip over 2 days through the Pirin Mountains, a folkloric festival was happening in the centre of town
The friendly dancers were eager to pose with their lovely traditional costume for a photo with the few tourists around

August is really the month that things are happening in Bansko. There are two main festivals in this month. First you have the Pirin Sings Folk Festival; a festival where hundreds of folk singers, dancers and musicians present their traditional folk dances and music. These artist come mainly from the Pirin Mountains region. The other festival is the International Jazz Festival, which is starting the second week of August. This event presents artist from not only all over Bulgaria but also from all over the world, the festival is open air and the music is so loud that you can hear it everywhere in town. When I was there they had among of others Bonny Taylor; didn’t know that her thing was jazz!